ECHL Utah Grizzlies

ECHL's Best: #1 Alaska, #2 Utah Collide Again in Anchorage this Week

Published on December 7, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


Wednesday, December 7: Utah at Alaska, 9:15 p.m., 1320 KFAN

Friday, December 9: Utah at Alaska, 9:15 p.m., 1320 KFAN

Saturday, December 10: Utah at Alaska, 9:015 p.m., 1320 KFAN

The Situation

The Grizzlies take their four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-0-1) and 13-6-0-1 record to Anchorage, Alaska as they play games three, four and five of their longest road trip of the year to date.

Another Showdown Of The ECHL's Best

The Alaska Aces (15-4-1-1, .762) and Grizzlies (13-6-0-1, .675) once again meet with the top two winning percentages in the ECHL. Utah is 3-1 against Alaska this year, with all four games played at Maverik Center. All four games have been within a goal, going into the final minute of regulation. This marks the third time in the last seven weeks, that these two teams have collided as the top two teams in the ECHL, the Western Conference and the Mountain Division.

All Anchorage From Here

The Grizzlies and Aces will complete their season series with the final six regular season meetings scheduled for Anchorage. After this weekend, the two will complete their season series January 5,6,7.

Help Has Arrived

After competing the last three weeks with a pieced together lineup due to injuries and call-ups, Utah enters this week somewhat reassembled. Rookie Justin Dowling, who was Utah's second-leading scorer at the time of his call-up to Calgary's AHL affiliate in Abbotsford on November 17, has rejoined the team in Alaska. Dowling had two goals and nine assists for 11 points in 12 games with Utah as they raced to a 9-3 start.

Healthy Body

C.J. Severyn was activated off of IR Tuesday and returns to the Utah lineup for the first time since November 11 in Alaska as well. Also a Calgary prospect, Severyn is in his rookie season out of Ohio State University.

Coming To Alaska With Former Natives

Utah has historically struggled in Alaska, especially on the defensive end, playing on the Aces Olympic-sized ice surface at the Sullivan Arena; which is 15-feet wider than the standard size. However, for the first time ever, the Grizzlies will bring two former Aces defensemen back to Anchorage in Assistant Captain Derick Martin (2007-2010) and Captain Nick Tuzzolino (2008-2010). Another former Alaska defenseman Ryan Turek (2008-2010) is expected to be with Utah when they return in January.

Good Luck To The Power-Play Units

The Grizzlies (86.3-percent) and Alaska (85.9-percent) also enter the week with the league's top two penalty-killing units.

Player Of The Week

Grizzlies leading scorer Mitch Fadden is the league's reining Player of the Week after two goals and five assists in three games last week. He currently has eight goals, 17 assists and 25 points in 18 games. Fadden also has nine multiple-point games.

McIlveen, Fadden, Reber

Paul McIlveen (six goals, four assists), Mitch Fadden (five goals, eight assists) and Matt Reber (three goals, ten assists, team high seven-game scoring streak) have combined for 14 goals and 22 assists in Utah's last seven games for an average of over five-points-per-game.

Two Really Good Goalies

Shane Owen started the final two games of this past weekend for Utah and remains unbeaten on the year at 3-0-0-1 with a 2.67 goals-against-average and a .910 save percentage. Andrew Engelage leads Utah with a 10-6 record, a league-leading two shutouts, a 2.40 goals-against-average and a .916 save percentage.

Close Ones

Utah is now 11-1-0-1 overall in one-goal games.

Buy Tickets Now

Tickets for all games, season tickets, group tickets and luxury suites are on sale now. Visit www.utahgrizzlies.com for more information. Utah returns home Wednesday, December 14 and Friday, December 16 to host the Colorado Eagles.

Check out the Utah Grizzlies Statistics

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ECHL Stories from December 7, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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